Shutter construction

Abstract

A ribbed metal foil slat has a slat support bracket at each slat end, each bracket being driven by a corresponding four-bar linkage. The two four-bar linkages are driven concurrently in the same direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A shutter construction comprising: a plurality of slats, each slat having first and second opposite ends, two relatively long, parallel opposite edges, and a central axis parallel to and between these edges;   a pair of support brackets for each slat, one bracket secured to one end of each slat and the other bracket secured to the opposite end of each slat, each bracket including two pivot means permitting rotation of the bracket about two spaced points, respectively, one point on one side of the central axis and the other point spaced from the one point on the other side of the central axis;   first and second parallel support links, the first of said links adjacent to one end of the slats and the second of said links adjacent to the other end of the slats, the slats being perpendicular to said links and being spaced from one another along the length of links, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first link at one end of its pivot means and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second link at the corresponding one of its pivot means;   first and second support means, said first support means adjacent to one end of the slats and said second support means adjacent to the other end of the slats, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said first link and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said second support link; and   drive means for concurrently driving said first and second support links in the same direction along the length dimension of said links relative to said first and second support means for concurrently rotating the slats about axes parallel to their central axes.   
     
     
       2. The construction of claim 1 wherein said drive means comprises two rotatable drive links one coupled between one end of the first support link and a corresponding end of the first support means, and the other drive link coupled between the same end of the second support link and the corresponding end of the second support means, and means for concurrently rotating said drive links in the same direction. 
     
     
       3. The construction of claim 2 wherein said first and second support means comprise third and fourth support links of substantially the same construction as said first and second support links, all four support links being movable, whereby rotation of said two rotatable drive links drives the first and second support links in one direction and the third and fourth support links in the opposite mirror image direction. 
     
     
       4. The construction of claim 1 wherein each bracket comprises a wire element which is shaped to fit over and hold securely the end of a slat and the free ends of which, when the bracket is in place on a slat, extend away from the slat and parallel to its central axis, said free ends serving as the two pivot means. 
     
     
       5. A shutter construction comprising: a plurality of parallel slats each having opposite ends, two relatively long, parallel opposite edges, and a central axis parallel to and between these edges;   first and second stationary support means;   a plurality of brackets, one at each slat end;   two sets of four-bar linkages, each set comprising two pairs of parallel links, each link of at least one pair being pivotally secured to the corresponding link of the other pair;   means for pivotally securing one link of the one pair of each set to said first stationary support means for rotation about a first stationary pivot axis;   means for pivotally securing the other link of the one pair of each set to said second stationary support means for rotation about a second stationary pivot axis spaced from and parallel to the first axis;   means for synchronously rotating said one and other links about said first and second axis, respectively; and   means for pivotally securing each said brackets at each slat end to each link of the other link pairs of the four bar linkage at two spaced pivot points at each slat end, one point on one side of the central axis of that slat and the other point on the other side of the central axis of that salt.   
     
     
       6. The construction of claim 5 wherein said slats each comprise a ribbed foil element which bends and twists when torqued at one end with respect to the other end, said brackets comprising a preformed wire shaped to receive an end of said slat therein including a loop for receiving a foil element rib. 
     
     
       7. The construction of claim 5 wherein each slat has first and second arcuate parallel portions connected by a rib element extending along the length of the slat, the convex side of one portion facing the same direction as the concave side of the other portion, said bracket comprising a wire element having first and second mirror image segments connected by a central loop segment, said mirror image segments each including a member which is adapted to bridge the concave portion of said salt, said central loop segment receiving said rib element. 
     
     
       8. In a shutter construction including a plurality of rotatably mounted salts, each slat rotating about an axis, said slat axes being parallel and link means for rotating said slats about their respective axes, the combination therewith comprising a bracket at each slat end for pivotally connecting that slat to said link means, each said bracket comprising a pair of pivot means, one pivot means of each pair being offset from the slat axis of rotation on one side of said axis and the other pivot means being offset from said slat axis on the opposite side of said axis, said link means comprising two four-bar linkages one at each slat end and in which each linkage comprises two links, each link rotatable about a respective stationary axis parallel to said slat axes, a third link rotatably coupled to one of said pivot means at a slat end and a fourth link rotatably coupled to the other of said pivot means at said slat end. 
     
     
       9. The construction of claim 8 wherein said bracket comprises a wire member having a central bend for receiving the slat end therein and a pair of bends, one at each end of the bracket for securing the bracket to the slat, said shafts extending from the respective bracket ends. 
     
     
       10. A shutter construction comprising: a plurality of slats, each slat having first and second opposite ends, two relatively long, parallel opposite edges, and a central axis parallel to and between these edges;   a pair of support brackets for each slat, one bracket secured to one end of each slat and the other bracket secured to the opposite end of each slat, each bracket including two pivot means permitting rotation of the bracket about two spaced points, respectively, one point on one side of the central axis and the other point spaced from the one point;   first and second parallel support links, the first of said links adjacent to one end of the slats and the second of said links adjacent to the other end of the slats, the slats being perpendicular to said links and being spaced from one another along the length of links, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first link at one end of its pivot means and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second link at the corresponding one of its pivot means;   first and second support means, said first support means adjacent to one end of the slats and said second support means adjacent to the other end of the slats, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said first link and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said second support link; and   drive means for concurrently driving said first and second support links in the same direction along the length dimension of said links relative to said first and second support means for concurrently rotating the slats about axes parallel to their central axes;   said drive means comprising two rotatable drive links, one coupled between one end of the first support link and a corresponding end of the first support means, and the other drive link coupled between the same end of The second support link and the corresponding end of the second support means, and means for concurrently rotating said drive links in the same direction; and   said first and second support means comprising third and fourth support links of substantially the same construction as said first and second support links, all four support links being movable, whereby rotation of said two rotatable drive links drives the first and second support links in one direction and the third and fourth support links in the opposite mirror image direction.   
     
     
       11. A shutter construction comprising: a plurality of slats, each slat having first and second opposite ends, two relatively long, parallel opposite spaced edges, and a central axis parallel to and between these edges;   a pair of support brackets for each slat, one bracket secured to one end of each slat and the other bracket secured to the opposite end of each slat, each bracket including two pivot means permitting rotation of the bracket about two spaced points, respectively, one point on one side of the central axis and the other point spaced from the one point, each bracket comprising a wire element which is shaped to fit over and hold securely the end of a slat and the free ends of which, when the bracket is in place on a slat, extend away from the slat and parallel to its central axis, said free ends serving as the two pivot means;   first and second parallel support links, the first of said links adjacent to one end of the slats and the second of said links adjacent to the other end of the slats, the slats being perpendicular to said links and being spaced from one another along the length of links, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first link at one end of its pivot means and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second link at the corresponding one of its pivot means;   first and second support means, said first support means adjacent to one end of the slats and said second support means adjacent to the other end of the slats, each support bracket at one end of the slats being supported by said first support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said first link and each support bracket at the other end of the slats being supported by said second support means at the other of its pivot means along a line parallel to said second support link; and   drive means for concurrently driving said first and second support links in the same direction along the length dimension of said links relative to said first and second support means for concurrently rotating the slats about axes parallel to their central axes.